Newsletters

On 23 June, CLECAT’s Rail Freight Institute met to discuss CLECAT’s initiatives in response to a number of ongoing rail-freight policy developments, including the need for an ambitious new proposal from the European Commission on Combined Transport.

The European Commission presented on 24 June the NAIADES III Action Plan, a 35-point programme to boost the role of inland waterway transport in our mobility and logistics systems, in line with the European Green Deal and the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, which set the goal of increasing transport by inland waterways and short sea shipping by 25% by 2030, and by 50% by 2050. The Commission will help inland waterway managers to ensure a high level of service (Good Navigation Status) along EU inland waterway corridors by 31 December 2030.

On 1 July, Slovenia will kick-off its six-month Presidency of the Council of the EU. The programme of the Slovenian Presidency puts a sustainable, digital and resilient Europe at the core of its activities. In the coming months, the Slovenian Presidency will lead crucial files through the institutional negotiations and will be closely involved in the legislative files that are part of the ‘Fit for 55’ Package.

The European Logistics Platform is organising an event entitled “ReFuel EU Aviation: a game-changing EU sustainable aviation fuel plan?” on 29 June from 15.30-17.00h.

On 17 June, EU legislators reached a political agreement on the €5 billion Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR), which will be used to provide assistance to countries and sectors worst affected by the negative effects of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

n 17 June, the European Parliament’s Transport and Tourism (TRAN) Committee adopted its negotiating mandate on the reform of the Single European Sky rules, which proposes ways to modernise the management of European airspace in order to reduce flight delays, optimise flight routes, cut costs and CO2 emissions in the aviation sector. The position’s main aspects refer to streamlining European airspace management, reaching a 10% reduction in climate-impacting emissions, as well as open up the market for air traffic navigation services.

On 14 June, the Council adopted in first reading the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility 2.0 (CEF 2.0) programme, worth €33.71 billion, to fund the development of high-performing, sustainable infrastructure in the fields of transport, digital and energy. This second edition of the programme will run from 2021 to 2027. Today’s vote by the Council will be followed by final adoption by the European Parliament.

The IMO adopted this week new mandatory measures to cut the carbon intensity of international shipping. The amendments to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) Annex VI will require ships to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The new measures will require all ships to calculate their Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) following technical means to improve their energy efficiency and to establish their annual operational carbon intensity indicator (CII) and CII rating.

FreightWaves reported on Tuesday 15 June that members of the US House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee are drafting a bipartisan legislation that would require ocean carriers to accept all US export container bookings. The legislation, to be proposed by John Garamendi and Dusty Johnson is in response to mounting complaints by US agricultural shippers that unscrupulous business practices by foreign container ship operators are causing them to lose money and market share overseas.

On 15 June, CLECAT participated in an online roundtable event hosted by MEPs Vera Tax (S&D, NL) and Jutta Paulus (Greens/EFA, DE) to debate the impact of mega-vessels on the maritime supply chain. This followed the grounding of the mega vessel ‘Ever Given’ in the Suez Canal at the end of March this year, which has led to long waiting times, further port congestion and delays.